My Inspiration Wall

In any apartment I’ve ever lived in as an adult, I’ve always been hesitant to put anything up on the wall. I suppose it’s because I’ve moved so many times. (Patching walls is not very exciting!) But I have an abundance of art prints and photos. I just make sure that my frames have the little kickstands that allow for beautifully cluttering shelves and table tops.

But now that the Brit and I are in Victoria, we have started to hang frames on the wall. It feels nice to do that. And I have this beautiful little nook in my office that I’ve made into a 3-D inspiration wall. It was the first area of the apartment that I set up because I needed a space of calm amidst all the (thankfully quickly unpacked) boxes.

I have such an appreciation for and wish I had the artistic ability to express myself on a canvas, as my friend Karlie Rosin does. Karlie created the header mixed media image you see at the top of this site (which is based on a photo taken of me by the talented Tia Vath) and some of the art in the below photo. (She makes it look so easy (you should see her sketch at a fashion show!), but I know it’s not.) As I don’t have that artistic ability, I write and surround myself with things that inspire me and make me smile.

My inspiration wall

Mostly left to right, from top-down:

Camel painting (unknown artist) – I LOVE camels and to ride one in Sahara (or somewhere similar) is a big bucket list item of mine.

Eiffel Tower – It’s just a trinket from my first time in Paris, but I’ve kept it as a reminder of my first time in Europe.

Original painting (Karlie Rosin) – This started as a test painting that my very talented friend Karlie did for an art battle she was participating in. I saw it in her coat closet and asked about it. She was thinking of throwing it away and I was horrified. I asked how much she would charge for a finished product, and I’m now the proud owner of an original Karlie Rosin painting. (Merci, Karlie!) I love the colours and I feel like it’s what my imagination looks like sometimes.

Yoga certificate – You have to show off your achievements, right? That’s what certificates are for. Even if to only remind oneself of goals when feeling disheartened. (It happens.)

Family and friend photos – Me with my dad, with my mum, my lovely friends, and yup, that’s Gordie Howe. He was the NICEST man, I feel so fortunate to have had the opportunity to spend a lot of time with him when I worked in hockey.

Rosé wine print (Karlie Rosin) – Another Karlie piece. While I can’t Rosé all day, at least I can a pretty picture of it in my office! If you’re keen to get a similar print, you can get one at her Etsy shop.

#GetThrifty: Art prints and photos are a great way to decorate on a budget, without sacrificing quality. (And you don’t need to buy super fancy frames!)

Watercolour (Leanne Thompson) – This is another artistic spinoff of the photo that my site header is based on. The lovely Leanne from Little May Papery created this for me a few years ago, and I cherish it. It’s a piece that gave me some peace (ha) when I was going through a particularly stressful time in my life.

Camel figurine – One day I’ll share why I love camels, but the short story is that my parents buy me camel figurines for my birthday and Christmas whenever they find them.

Highland coos (Wanda Doyle) – I found this at an art event. It’s an original and makes me daydream of my favourite place in the world: Scotland. The coos (that’s how they pronounce it in Scotland) are also almost as adorable in the painting as they are in real life.

Carnival mask – My dad got me this when he went to Venice. It’s another little trinket, but it make me happy and gets my travel juices flowing.

My love – The Brit makes me laugh and reminds me not to take things too seriously. I keep that photo there to make me smile when I have writer’s block, or really just need a break.

Like the books I read, I like art to make me feel something in my soul. I don’t mean the annoyance I feel when I hear people analyzing why and artist randomly glued a piece of pasta, or what said artist was feeling when they painted that one corner purple. (Just stop. You don’t know.) Just the full-of-heart feeling of knowing you are looking at something lovely.

One day, I hope to be able to afford an Impressionist original, but that will likely involve having to have won the lottery… Until that happy day, I have plans for the blank space above my computer. Stay tuned!

Do you have an inspiration board or wall? What’s on it?

“A picture is a poem without words”

Horace

This post was created partly in collaboration with Karlie Rosin. As always opinions are my own. Photos: @jjosuephotos

About

Hello, I'm Yasmine! West Coast City Girl is a travel and lifestyle blog with a focus on enjoying what the world has to offer while keeping well and staying on budget. Fuelled by Earl Grey tea, I’ve made it my mission to live life and travel knowing that one doesn’t have to spend a fortune or sacrifice wellness in order to have a fulfilling journey!

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